Main Street: When a Highway Runs Through It
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Contents Chapter 1: Main Street as Highway .... 1 Sidewalk Area Design ................................. 57 Curb Extension ...............................................................58 At the Heart .................................................. 2 Driveways ....................................................................... 60 Maintenance................................................................... 61 Then and Now .............................................. 3 Sidewalks ........................................................................62 Street Furniture .............................................................. 63 Reclaiming Main Street ................................. 4 Trees & Landscaping ....................................................... 65 Utilities ..........................................................................67 Chapter 2: Working Together............. 5 Building Area: Design and Land Use ........... 68 Building Setbacks and Orientation ................................. 68 Measuring Success ........................................ 6 Building Façade—Avoiding Blank Walls.......................... 68 Building Height .............................................................. 69 Process.......................................................... 7 Off-Street Parking .......................................................... 69 Right Now ........................................................................8 Mix of Uses .................................................................... 70 Create a Downtown Vision ............................................... 8 Public Spaces, Plazas, and Activity Centers .................... 70 Transportation System Plans and Corridor Plans .............. 9 Other Ingredients ....................................... 72 Special Transportation Areas ............................................ 9 Codes and Standards ...................................................... 11 Enforcement ................................................................... 72 Participate in the STIP .................................................... 11 Non-Highway Designs to Support Main Street ............... 72 Follow-Through .............................................................. 12 Chapter 5: Paying for It ................... 73 Chapter 3: Recipe for Success.......... 13 Local Revenue Sources ................................ 74 The Structure of the Street ......................... 14 Property Taxes ................................................................ 74 Human Scale .................................................................. 14 Gas Tax Revenues ........................................................... 74 Street Zones ................................................................... 14 System Development Charges ........................................ 74 Local Improvement Districts ........................................... 74 Identify the Real Problem ........................... 19 Grants & Loans ........................................... 76 Safety ............................................................................. 20 Security ..........................................................................21 Transportation/Growth Management Program ............... 76 Comfort ..........................................................................22 State Bicycle and Pedestrian Grants ............................... 77 Speed ............................................................................. 23 Special Transportation Fund ........................................... 77 Crossing ......................................................................... 27 Special Small City Allotment Program ............................ 77 Access ............................................................................29 Immediate Opportunity Grant Program ......................... 78 Congestion ..................................................................... 31 Oregon Special Public Works Fund ................................ 78 Oregon Transportation Infrastructure Bank .................... 78 Chapter 4: Ingredients ..................... 33 The Oregon Livability Initiative: The 21st Century Community Fund ............................... 79 Street System .............................................. 34 Urban Forestry Grants .................................................... 79 Transportation Equity Act for the Local Street Network ...................................................... 35 21st Century (TEA-21) ............................................ 80 Secondary Route for Through Traffic .............................. 36 Couplet (2 one-way streets) ............................................ 36 Bypass ............................................................................37 Chapter 6: Examples ........................ 81 Roadway Area Design ................................. 38 Case Study 1: Heppner, Oregon .................. 82 Bikeways ......................................................................... 39 Case Study 2: Newberg, Oregon ................. 84 Channelization ...............................................................40 Case Study 3: Sisters, Oregon ..................... 87 Corner Radius Reduction ................................................ 41 Crosswalk ....................................................................... 42 Scenario 1: Traditional Downtown.............. 89 Median ........................................................................... 43 Scenario 2: Couplet .................................... 91 On-Street Parking ........................................................... 44 Pavement Markings ........................................................ 45 Scenario 3: 5-Lane Highway ....................... 93 Refuge Island .................................................................. 46 Signing ........................................................................... 47 Chapter 7: Appendix ........................ 95 Textured Crosswalk and Pavement .................................. 49 Traffic Controls ...............................................................50 Glossary ...................................................... 95 Transitions ...................................................................... 52 Travel Lane Removal ....................................................... 55 Resources.................................................. 100 Travel Lane Width ........................................................... 56 Index ......................................................... 101 MAIN STREET HANDBOOK i Acknowledgements This project was funded by the Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program, a joint program of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). Additional funds were provided by the ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and by the Oregon Downtown Development Association (ODDA) through a grant from the Oregon Economic and Community Development Dept. TGM Program Staff Pamela Kambur, TGM Outreach Coordinator, DLCD Lainie Smith, Urban Growth Program Coordinator, DLCD Consultant Team Karen Swirsky, David Evans and Associates, Inc. Nils Eddy, David Evans and Associates, Inc. David Olsen, David Evans and Associates, Inc. Brian Rankin, David Evans and Associates, Inc. Dan Burden, Walkable Communities Pat Kliewer, Kliewer and Associates Steering Committee Kent Belleque, Highway Design Manual Manager, ODOT Project Support Vicki Hilliard, Executive Director, ODDA Lynn Peterson, Transportation Advocate,1000 Friend of Oregon Lidwien Rahman, TGM Grant Coordinator, ODOT Region 1 Michael Ronkin, Program Manager, ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Terry Wheeler, Transportation Design Manager, ODOT Technical Services November 1999 ii MAIN STREET HANDBOOK Chapter 1 Main Street as Highway Main Street as Highway elcome to the Main Street At the Heart ......................... 2 Handbook! This handbook Then and Now ..................... 3 W was designed for communi- Reclaiming Main Street ........ 4 ties that are working together to enhance the vitality of their main street… when a highway runs through it. When main street also serves as a state highway, communities are faced with Highways show two faces, much significant challenges. The biggest chal- like Janus, the ancient Roman god lenge is to strike a balance between the of passage and beginnings. One face needs of pedestrians, shoppers, employ- seeks speed and mobility, the other wants comfort, beauty, and commu- ees, business owners, and residents with nity. As guardian of roadways, Ja- the needs of through traffic—both auto nus represented the transition and and freight—to move safely and efficiently balance between countryside and over longer distances. city, between past and future, and between war and peace. Main streets that are also state highways are found throughout Oregon: from small, On our modern roadways, Janus’ bal- rural ranch downtowns to segments of ance sometimes seems absent. The pedestrian often feels in conflict with large cities. Some of these main streets the motorist, although every motor- have kept their historic character, with a ist becomes a pedestrian at some classic, small town, “Mayberry USA” point! Nowhere is this more evident appearance that is typified by a mix of than where highways run through downtowns. When the main street uses and multi-story buildings fronting a is also